Oregon State beats Arizona State 75-66 in Pac-12 tournament

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Stephen Thompson Jr. scored 13 points and Oregon State moved a step closer to its first NCAA Tournament berth in 26 years by holding off Arizona State 75-66 Wednesday night in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament.

The Beavers (19-11) and Sun Devils traded missed shots through most of the first half, combining to go 5 for 26 from 3-point range.

Oregon State, the No. 6 seed, began to hit a few while building a nine-point halftime lead and withstood a couple of Arizona State rallies in the second half to earn a spot in Thursday's quarterfinals against No. 3 seed California.

Arizona State (15-17) never fully recovered from its early shooting woes, ending a difficult first season under coach Bobby Hurley.